Short Line Railroads

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association represents the interests of the 603 small railroads that connect America with the world.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

There is no magic safety button in railroading.

The short line freight rail industry's impressive and ever-improving safety record is thanks to those dedicated workers who make safety the foundation of their daily tasks.

Every year we recognize two individuals for their contributions to safety, on the job and in the community. If you have seen these individuals honored at our Annual Conference, you'd know why this is truly one of the best things we do.

-----BUT-----

Without your nominations, we don't know who deserves these awards. We are currently soliciting nominations for ASLRRA's Safety Person of the Year and Safety Professional of the Year. Follow the links below to submit a nomination. They're due Nov. 12!

🦺 Safety Person: https://t.co/dxZrLxRBqD
🦺 Safety Professional: https://t.co/L4n7GBob69

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Military Veterans🤝Short Line Railroads

It's a good match!

We love telling railroad stories and we love talking about the many military-short line connections in our industry. With Veterans Day on the horizon, we're collecting stories from our member employees who have served or are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

If your organization, railroad or supplier, is an ASLRRA member and you're a military veteran, we want to hear from you! Fill out our online form by Nov. 5 and you could see yourself featured here! https://t.co/i3EoeqS8Ua

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

CRISI funding for @RJCormanRR is a BIG deal for short line railroads and their customers!

We appreciate @RepAndyBarr for his strong support of R. J. Corman and their project. We're excited to see the significant impact this grant will have on communities in Kentucky and beyond!

[Congressman Andy Barr @RepAndyBarr]

Huge win for @RJCormanRR, a great Kentucky company. We secured over $43M to improve the transportation of goods in our region.

I strongly supported this funding through a letter of support to DOT and personally brought @SecDuffy to Kentucky earlier this year to discuss our regional transportation needs. Congratulations to RJ Corman Railroad Group!

https://t.co/MVLj7L5oOZ

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

We are immensely grateful to @SenatorWarnock and Senator Jon @ossoff for their support of the CRISI grant program and Georgia's short line railroads!

CRISI funding will make a phenomenal difference in the ability of small-business short line railroads in Georgia to offer even safer, more efficient service to their customers in the state and beyond. Improvements to rail crossings and increased trespass prevention also translates into increased safety for everyone in the community.

https://t.co/yF7vVkZCUb

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

It is no understatement that CRISI grants are transformational for small-business short line railroads. The improvements made possible by this funding will lead to even safer, more efficient freight rail service -- benefiting shippers, customers and community members in Texas and beyond!

Thank you to @RepRonnyJackson for his support of short lines and this critical grant program!

[Ronny Jackson @RepRonnyJackson]

Investing in our nation’s rail infrastructure is CRITICAL to keeping American goods moving SAFELY and EFFICIENTLY.

Short-line railroads play an important role in CONNECTING rural communities, SUPPORTING local industries, and STREGTHENING our supply chains.

This federal investment will help improve rail safety and reliability in TX-13 while supporting the infrastructure that businesses, workers, and communities DEPEND ON.

https://t.co/TzGxuuOQRd

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

You can see our press release here to learn more about our project: https://t.co/PcSyULX9ob

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

We are truly over the moon!

Thank you so much to everyone at @USDOTFRA for this opportunity to further our workforce development program, the Short Line Training Center, and offer even more valuable in-person and online training to small-business railroads nationwide.

And THANK YOU to all those who submitted letters of support for this project, including 20 of our member railroads and Indiana's @SenToddYoung, Illinois' @SenDuckworth and @RepChuyGarcia, Florida's @RepWebster and South Dakota's @RepDustyJohnson.

We can't wait to get started!!!!

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

These short line projects in Maine, requested by the Maine DOT, are highlights of the big CRISI awards announced today! It’s a significant $37M investment by the @USDOTFRA into rehabilitating 90 miles of railroad tracks in northern Maine.

These improvements include replacing aging rail, crossties, and ballast, along with renovating a key railroad bridge. The rail system in Aroostook County provides the only rail connection linking northern Maine’s forest products and agricultural industries to the national freight rail network.

@SenatorCollins is one of the key architects of the infrastructure bill that funded CRISI and has been a consistent strong supporter of the program and of Maine’s rail infrastructure because she knows the importance of those investments to Maine’s industrial shippers.

We are so grateful to Senator Collins and @SenAngusKing for their support of these CRISI grants!

[Sen. Susan Collins @SenatorCollins]

Great news for northern Maine: MaineDOT has been awarded more than $37 million in federal funding to rehabilitate approximately 90 miles of freight rail in Aroostook County, including in Fort Kent, Madawaska, and Van Buren.

As one of the 10 lead negotiators of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I helped secure an additional $5 billion for the CRISI federal rail improvement program that is providing this funding.

Additionally, Senator Angus King and I wrote to the Federal Railroad Administration this summer in support of MaineDOT's funding application, highlighting the importance of this rail corridor to northern Maine's forest products and agricultural industries.

I know that Aroostook County relies on dependable freight rail to connect local businesses with markets across the country and around the world. This significant federal investment will improve rail safety, support local jobs, and increase railcar capacity to help keep northern Maine's industries competitive for years to come.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

This is a great example of one of the big CRISI awards announced today! It’s a major $49M investment by the @USDOTFRA into a $100M+ project in Kansas called Unleashing the American Heartland Rail Upgrade Project by Kyle Railroad (Genesee & Wyoming Inc.).

Senator @JerryMoran of Kansas is one of the true stalwarts of short line freight railroad infrastructure support because he knows the importance of those investments to Kansas agriculture shippers. As a leader on the Appropriations Committee and Senate Commerce Committee, plus an early bipartisan negotiator on the infrastructure bill that funded CRISI, short line railroads and our tens of thousands of shippers have no stronger supporter than Senator Moran.

https://t.co/r2cD5wwaM8

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

This is BIG!

The @USDOT and @USDOTFRA have announced the fiscal year 2025-2026 CRISI grant awards and the numbers for short lines are OFF. THE. CHARTS.

We are immensely excited for all of our members receiving CRISI funding and thankful to USDOT and FRA leadership and program teams for their steadfast commitment to America’s local railroads and to the communities and businesses that depend on them. These awards will go far in helping boost safe operations across the short line freight rail industry!

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

We are pleased to welcome the newest members of the ASLRRA board! They were elected at the Fall Super Regional Meeting.

🔹Central Region Vice President - Danny Robbins, President, North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad
🔹Pacific Region Vice President - Ross Lane, Assistant Vice President, Government Affairs, San Joaquin Valley Railroad / Genesee & Wyoming
🔹Southern Region Vice President - Kate Bourgeois, President & CEO, Mississippi Export Rail Company
🔹Regional Director, Eastern Region - Charles Hunter, Asst. Vice President, Government Affairs, New England Central Railroad Inc./ Genesee & Wyoming
🔹Regional Director, Pacific Region - Robert Pinoli, President & CEO, Mendocino Railway
🔹Regional Director, Southern Region - Curtis Sloan, VP, Policy & Sustainability, Alabama Southern Railroad / Watco

We are also very grateful to all our outgoing board members for their dedicated service to the Association! They are Otis Cliatt II, President, Pacific Harbor Line; Ben Tarbutton, President, Sandersville Railroad Company; Cathrin Banks, President & General Counsel, Chesapeake and Delaware LLC and Jason Bradt, VP of Operations, Coastal Division, G & W Railroad Services, Inc.

At the fall meeting, Ben Tarbutton III (pictured left) received a certificate of thanks from ASLRRA Chair Justin Broyles for his years of service on the Association's Board of Directors.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member JWilliams Contracting!

JWilliams Contracting LLC is a railroad construction contractor specializing in railroad bridge construction. They provide experienced crews and equipment for railroad bridge projects throughout the United States, with a strong focus on safety, quality workmanship, and dependable project execution.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member Hedemora Turbo & Diesel!

Hedemora Turbo & Diesel is a Swedish turbocharger manufacturer with more than 120 years of engineering heritage serving the rail, marine, and power generation industries. Hedemora turbochargers are trusted in thousands of heavy-duty engine applications worldwide, helping operators improve reliability, fuel efficiency, and lifecycle performance. They work closely with railroad operators and OEMs to deliver compact, proven turbocharger solutions backed by responsive technical support and short lead times.

https://t.co/nIPXioVbdo

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

The Staggers Act is 46!

This critical piece of legislation gave birth to our modern short line railroad industry, enabling entrepreneurs to buy lines set to be sold or discarded by big corporations. It helped sustain rail service to small businesses and rural towns across America, not to mention lowered shipping costs and led to improved reliability, efficiency and safety.

When we talk about the importance of advocacy and the need to work with lawmakers on common-sense legislation that works for our industry, this is why! And though we celebrate this anniversary every year, we're always looking to the future -- working to advance measures for the good of the short line freight rail industry

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member Weston Solutions!

@WestonSolutions is an employee-owned environmental and infrastructure services firm providing innovative solutions to Class I and short line railroads, government agencies, and other commercial clients. Backed by 65 years of experience, Weston’s nationwide team helps solve complex challenges and deliver lasting value.

https://t.co/MHetiZf58d

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Pssst...confession time.

The Fall Super Regional Meeting was the first time we've ever combined all our fall events into one big gathering. So, we had no idea...Would you love it? Would you hate it? Would you show up?

Well, it turns out, we had an AMAZING time!

We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this event a success, from the sponsors to the speakers and especially to the attendees. Our goal is to offer our members the chance to learn, grow and connect, and this meeting did all that and more.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for always supporting our events in all their forms. We couldn't do anything without all of you!

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Today's General Session featured another round of fantastic insight from a great group of speakers!

In the top row are Short Line Leaders Panel speakers (L to R):
🔹Fort Worth & Western Railroad President & CEO Kevin Erasmus
🔹Sierra Northern Railroad President & CEO Ken Beard
🔹The Wheeling CEO Jonathan Carnes

In the bottom row are more representatives from Class I railroads (L to R):
🔹@CPKCrail Managing Director, Business Development & Transload Eric Goodman
🔹@nscorp Southern VP Business Development and First and Final Mile Markets Stefan Loeb
🔹@BNSFRailway Shortline Development & Forecasting Mark Ganaway

The quote of the day? Ganaway saying "Best four years of my life have been working with short lines."

Also heard a lot about short line growth and the desire of Class Is to continue working with short lines to build business. And the leadership panel offered pearls of wisdom covering all sorts of industry topics.

Thank you to everyone for an amazing final day of the Fall Super Regional Meeting!

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

And congratulations also to the winners of the ASLRRA President's Award in the General Category - Train Miles!

Thanks to those from TGS-Cedar Port Railroad, Arkansas Southern Railroad, Central Railroad of Indiana and Luxapalila Valley Railroad for joining us! We were glad to have the opportunity to recognize your accomplishments in person.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Congratulations to all the winners of the ASLRRA President's Awards in the Yard and Switching Operations category!

Very glad to have representatives from The Indiana Rail Road Company, Port Terminal Railroad Association and Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad on hand to accept their awards!

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Yes these are yesterday's photos today, but how could we not share them with you? Because check out (clockwise from top left):

▪️The dynamic Didelius duo! Father Paul (left) president of ASLRRA member Columbia Rail with son James, ASLRRA's government affairs intern.
▪️The best darn meeting crew in the history of ever!
▪️Attendees getting their learning on during the AI for Executive Leadership session
▪️A hail and farewell with incoming Environmental Committee Chair Kayden Howard (right) and outgoing chair Sean Strong. Grateful to Sean for all his hard work on the committee, and excited to have Kayden taking the reins.

We'll be sharing additional pictures and news today, including more President's Award Winners. Be on the lookout!